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I’m originally from frustratingly flat Florida, so elevation of any kind is a big deal to me.
When I moved here in summer of 2019, everyone in the newsroom kept telling me about Radnor Lake, which had satisfyingly steep parts, but it wasn’t until that fall that I discovered the Narrows of the Harpeth — and went every weekend until the cold set in.
It’s free. It’s family-friendly. It’s got that awesome outlook from that rock on a cliff everyone takes their yoga pics for Instagram on. And it’s got a waterfall of sorts with the Montgomery Bell Tunnel!
Unfortunately, it took even longer for me to learn the not-so-great parts — namely, its eponym.
Who was Montgomery Bell?
The 19th century entrepreneur was originally from Pennsylvania, but bought land in the Kingston Springs area in 1818. According to the 1850 schedules record, Bell enslaved 310 Black people, making him possibly the largest enslaver in the state at the time.
What’s with his ‘waterfall’?
Bell directed the construction of this tunnel to help with wrought iron production. The 16-foot drop in the Harpeth River generates quite a bit of water power. The tunnel is also the first known full-size water diversion tunnel in the US, and became a National Historic Landmark in the ’90s.
Why bother?
The tunnel and the hiking path above it, plus all the kayaking and tubing along the river on the other side, are now part of the Harpeth River State Park. There are so many fun places to explore and feel much further than a half hour from the city within the park’s boundaries.
Plus, the dude is dead. Growing up, my family of color loved going to places we wouldn’t have historically been welcome — which brings me to my post-hike food rec.
Rachel Iacovone WPLN NewsThe bibimbap at Fat Tiger KBBQ & More
You know where Montgomery Bell would likely hate to hear I frequent after hanging out on his land? A Korean BBQ restaurant. Anas Saba, who runs Nashville Hidden Gems, recommended this White Bluff restaurant in his series of activity-plus-food pairings Reels. Fat Tiger is not just good Korean BBQ. As Anas put in his original post, the staff recognizes it’s kind of “Korean Cracker Barrel.” The decor threw me until I took a bite of my bibimbap.My pro tip now is going here after hiking with a group so you can each order something different off the menu and share. (Forever praying for the return of their seasonal special, tteokbokki, or rice cakes, which went particularly fast when passed around the table of tired-from-the-work-week journalists.)
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